Those Amber Eyes
by Dreamstar's Courage
Summary: One of my famously tragic oneshots. Silverstream... she loved Graystripe and her kits so much. Her life with Graystripe...


_**Those Amber Eyes**_

Summary: Silverstream. Graystripe. One of the tragic oneshots I'm famous for.

Disclaimer: NADA

The elders always said that I was the exact same color as a stream near our camp when it ran the fastest. A blinding silver color, which was why I was Silverkit. They also said that my eyes matched the color it was when it was calm.

"You have a special destiny, Silverkit," Mudfur would tell me. What was my destiny? I often wondered about this.

I mean, there was nothing remarkable about me. I was my mother's only kit. My best friend, Mistypaw, who was much older than me, was striking with her blue gray fur and icy blue eyes. She also had siblings, her brother, Stonepaw, who was like her twin, and Tabbypaw, who, strangely, looked nothing like her.

I sometimes would ponder why Stonepaw and Mistypaw looked nothig like Graypool. She was a cross, broad-faced amber eyed tabby, and they... they looked nothing like any cat in the clan.

I remember the day I was given to Blackclaw as an apprentice clearly. So many cats swirling around me, I was so nervous.

"Until you are given your warrior name," Crookedstar, my father, yowled, "You shall be known as Silverpaw. Blackclaw shall be your mentor."

I touched noses with the tempermental black tom, wishing slightly that I had gotten a more peaceful mentor. For, you know, Blackclaw and I are both kind of bossy, so I didn't think that that would be great.

Mistypaw, who was nearing becoming a warrior(less than a moon away) rushed up to me, purring, and entwined her tail in mine. Her brother, Stonepaw, rushed up as well. Their icy blue eyes were on me, and for a rare moment, there was warmth. They were both kind of hard.

I wanted praise. I hungered praise. I needed it.

000

I dropped low into a hunting crouch. The mouse was mine. But a cat lept over me, and I stared in amazment as Mistyfoot purred in an amused tone.

It had been two suns since she and Stonefur became warriors, and I couldn't help but be a bit jealous of her.

"That was mine!" I mewed.

"Catcher's-Keepers," She purred, "And besides, I want to be on Oakheart's good side. He is the deputy, after all, and I want to go on a border patrol."

"Of course he'll let you," I laughed, "You're his daughter!"

"Oakheart doesn't play favorites," Mistyfoot murmured, "I have to do everything to be considered successful."

"But you and Stonefur are his only kits!"

"You'd think he had twenty."

My ears twitched suddenly at the sound of meowing on the other side of the river. I peered out from behind the bushes, and spotted two cats. One was a black tom, the other was a stocky long haired gray with amber eyes. For some reason, I couldn't stop staring at him.

Odd.

"Oh, Thunderclan!" Mistyfoot hissed, "It's a good thing that they're on their own side of the river, or I would want to tear them to shreds!"

"Um.. right..."

000

A few suns later, I awoke to a horrible yowling. More like wailing, really. I raced out of the apprentice's den, wondering what was going on.

Mistyfoot was wailing over a bracken colored heap of fure. My heart froze. Oakheart. Stonefur was licking his father's flank, and Crookedstar had his muzzle pressed into the pelt of his old friend.

"Thunderclan!" I hissed.

000

"From now on," Crookedstar announced, "You shall be known as Silverstream, for your rippled pelt."

"Silverstream! Silverstream!"

I watched as the cat's chanted my name. This was such an important event for me...

Little did I know...

000

I hadn't been a warrior for very long when I was hunting on that fateful day at the river. A cracking sound reached my ears, accompanied by a startled yowl.

I ran to the river, and saw a cat paddling madly, being pulled by the current of the river. Three cats, warrior and two apprentices, watched in horror. I recognized their scent.

"Thunderclan cats," I muttered, and bounded over. I don't know why I didn't let the cat drown... I just didn't.

Delicately, I tiptoed across the ice, and then dropped into the water. The cold-I could barely feel that. I just stroked over and grabbed the gray cat by the scruff of his neck, and began to swim against the current.

The ginger warrior ran alongside till I was close enough, then took his friend and helped me get him up to the bank. I watched, feeling somewhat tense as the gray tom coughed and spluttered.

"Graystripe!" The ginger tom exclaimed. I guessed that they were close, and that 'Graystripe' was the gray's name.

"I'm OK," Graystripe wheezed. Somehow, I found this a bit funny. After a moment, he turned and met eyes with me. My heart beated a bit faster than usual.

"Thanks," He rasped. I covered up my confusion skillfully.

"You idiot!" I hissed, flatteniing my ears, "What are you doing in my territory?"

"Drowning?" He meowed hesitantly. I twitched my ears. OK, that _was _funny.

"Can't you drown yourself in your own territory?"  
"Ah, but who would rescue me there?"

After speaking to the gray apprentice for a moment, the ginger tom turned to his friend.

"Look, Graystripe, we've got to get out of here."

"I know," Graystripe sighed, standing. He then turned to me again. "Thansk again."

I dipped my head, but spat, "Hurry, go now!" I'd hate to see Crookedstar's reaction. "If my father knew I'd rescued a Thunderclan intruder, he'd shred me for kit bedding!"

"Why'd you save me then?" Graystripe's tone was teasing, but his eyes weren't.

"Instinct," I muttered, looking at the river. "I can't watch a cat drown. Now go away!"

The ginger cat thanked me, then nudged his friend along. But Graystripe halted and turned back.

"What's your name? Mine's Graystripe."

"Silverstream," I meowed, and bounded off.

000

For some reason, I couldn't stop thinking about Graystripe. Mistyfoot often commented on how distracted I was, but I didn't care.

Graystripe. A nice name. A nice cat.

000

I padded on the cold ground a few suns later, when I heard a voice call my name softly.

"Silverstream!"

I turned, and saw a cat plunge into the water and begin swimming toward my side.

Graystripe.

"What are you doing here?" I hissed as he got out of the water. But I stopped when I saw the look in his eyes.

"I-I couldn't stop thinking about you," He admitted. I looked down at my paws.

"Um... same here," I sighed.

We spoke for a while and finally, I sent him off.

"Wait," He murmured, "Can I see you again?"

All clan thoughts vanished when I saw those amber eyes.

"Yes."

000

I wound myself around Graystripe. We had been seeing each other for a while now. That's when we were discovered.

"Graystripe!"

The ginger tom, Fireheart, ran over, his eyes blazing.

"You followed me!" Graystripe exclaimed, anger in his voice.

"What are you doing?" Fireheart spat, "Don't you know it's dangerous?"

"It's OK," I assured him, "There won't be a patrol till sunset."

"You can be sure of that? You know all your clan's movements?"

"Actually, I do. My father is Crookedstar, the leader of Riverclan."

Graystripe stared at Fireheart for a moment, then turned back to me. "I'd better go."

I touched his cheek, and we closed our eyes and were still for a moment.

"Don't let him stop us," I whispered in his ear, and looked into Fireheart's eyes for a moment before swimming away.

000

We carried on meeting for a while. Mistyfoot noticed the change in me, and was hurt when I didn't tell her what was going on, so I finally couldn't stand it anymore. I led her over to some secluded bushes.

"I'm... I'm seeing a Thunderclan cat!" I blurted out.  
"What!"  
"Yes," I sighed, "His name is Graystripe. He's a warrior." I looked into her blue eyes.

"Please don't tell anyone."

There was a long silence.

"I won't."

000

After Graystripe and I had been meeting for moons, I noticed a slight change in myself. My stomach became a bit bulged, and I ate constantly. Mistyfoot, who was in the nursery with kits, one day took me aside.

"Silverstream," She hissed, "I think you're having kits."

"E-excuse me?" I stuttered.

"You're eating too much, you're stomach's bigger, you're moody-"

"I am NOT moody!" I spat, clawing her ear. She glared at me.

"My point exactly."

000

As Fireheart was busy, I led Graystripe off.

"I have good news," I murmured.

"What is it?" He asked excitedly.

"I'm... We're having kits," I purred. His eyes showed pure joy, and he licked my ear.

"Really?"  
"Of course. I wouldn't lie to you!"

This was joyful news... yet at the same time...

000

I was saying something to Graystripe at Sunningrocks when I felt an incredibly painful jolt to my stomach.

"Silverstream?"

I sat down. Another jolt. My breath came in sharp gasps.

"What's wrong?" Graystripe asked. I shook my head. What was wrong?

Wait...

The kits.

"The kits," I panted, laying down. "They're coming."

"But it's early!"

"It doesn't matter..."

The jolts were coming faster and harder with each one. I could hear the panic that was in Graystripe's voice. The jolts turned into spasms, and I knew it wouldn't be long. I let out a wail, and I heard claws on the rock.

"Graystripe!"

"Fireheart! It's the kits-the kits are coming, and it's all going wrong. Fetch Yellowfang!"

I could hear Fireheart running off.

"Don't worry," Graystripe whispered, "It'll be all right. Yellowfang will help you. You and the kits'll be fine."

A few moments later, Fireheart was there, but with a medicine cat apprentice and the clan deputy, Tigerclaw.

Cinderpaw, the apprentice, sniffed me, then called Fireheart over. Everything was a blur after that but one powerful spasm, and I saw Cinderpaw giving Fireheart a kit. My firstborn.

A while later, I felt like yowling with pain, but Cinderpaw exclaimed, "You did it, Silverstream, and had a second kit in her jaws.

But I could feel myself ebbing away. I had to live. For Graystripe and our kits... but I couldn't. This was the one thing that I, Silverstream, daughter of Crookedstar and Greenflower, couldn't do.

"Hold on, Silverstream," I heard Cinderpaw growl. My vision was blurry till Graystripe's face came into view.

"Silverstream!" He meowed in a panicky tone.

With the last of my strength, I raised my head and licked his face. Those amber eyes...

"Goodbye, Graystripe," I murmured, "I love you. Take care of our kits."

I laid my head down and felt my body shudder. My last thoughts on the world were:

_Fireheart. Thank you for helping us. You make sure that Graystripe gets better after this. You're his best friend, and a noble cat. I promise to be there when you become leader, and trust me, you'll get a life from me! You shall be great_ _one day._

_Whichever queen gets my kits. Take care of them, or I'll have to get you._

_My dear kits. I wish I could be there, but you will both be infamous one day. And live your heritage down, I promise. Know that your mother loves you._

_Graystripe. Take care of our kits, like I said. I'll watch over all of you in Starclan. Graystripe._

_I'll love you forever._

"Silverstream!"

_Graystripe..._

_000_

**_Well? Hope you liked... R and R!_**


End file.
